Cha @ Was Jordan Responds to Career Low With Season-High WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (Ticker) -- Two nights after scoring a career low, Michael Jordan bounced back with a season-high 51 points as the Washington Wizards halted a two-game slide with a 105-86 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Jordan collected a franchise-record 34 points in the first half on 15-of-22 shooting, falling three points shy of his previous season high for an entire game. He eclipsed the mark of Jeff Malone, who scored 33 in a half on February 27, 1988 at Phoenix. Jordan cooled down in the second half, however, shooting six-for-18 from the floor. The five-time NBA Most Valuable Player had just six points in Thursday's loss at Indiana. He had scored at least 10 points in 866 consecutive games since his previous low of eight points on March 22, 1986 against Cleveland. Hubert Davis matched a season high with 21 points, shooting 5-of-6 from 3-point range, as Washington avenged Wednesday's road loss that ended its nine-game winning streak. Davis stepped up in the absence of Richard Hamilton, the Wizards' second-leading scorer who is on the injured list with a pulled groin. Jamaal Magloire scored a career-high 22 points off the bench for the Hornets, who closed the year with six losses in eight games.
If he didnt cool down in the second half he coulda gone 60+ easily. The man maybe close to 40, but he can still play the game and play the game good. Sure he aint the jordan of 91 but the jordan of 01 is outplaying a lot of great players in the league and has lead his wizards to a record that is above .500 This a team that if winning 17 games a season would have meant a good year before. Give the man some credit. What really impresses me is that he hasnt really lost much on the defensive. I look for him to be all defensive team again this year,
I never was much of a Jordan suppoter before this season, but all the negative press he got about coming back really pissed me off. Go Mike!
It's not that hard for him to look really good on defense when he doesn't normally guard one of the best players on the opposing team. I would consider it a total joke if Jordan was named to the all-defensive team.
Funny you saw negative press. All I saw was positive press. I guess when he announced he was coming back there was an even amount of positive and negative press. However, after his first three or four games most of the press was negative. Headlines like "Here Comes Nothing" were just uncalled for. I mean the guy has not played in the NBA for three years what did these people expect? At least wait until after the All Star Weekend before you proclaim his comeback a bust.
If by "cool down in the second half" you meant he showed his age, then I agree. With maybe the exception of Thomas and Indiana, I don't think teams even prepare a defense for Jordan. And why would they, it's only the first half of the regular season. University (Twilight Zone) Blue
He went out with 4 minutes left in the 4th quarter. He probably could have gotten 60, but 51 made the point he needed to make which is that he can still play pretty damn good. Also if he really cared about the double-digit streak he could have stayed in the blowout, but he already said that if he was concerned about accolades he would not have returned. He hardly played in the second half of that game.
If Jordan isn't concerned with individual accolades why did he feel a need to make the point that he 'can still play pretty damn good'?
I don't think scoring 51 and leading your team to the victory is considered an individual accolade. If he stayed in the game after it was already over and tried to go for 60, then yeah. And I too was bothered by all the negative press he got, and it probably pissed off Jordan too. He's done so much for everyone over the years, yet when he comes back just to play for the love of the game, people complain. Like he somehow owes it to us that the perfect ending in '98 isn't ruined?
I guess shutting down vince carter after he went for 19 when Hamilton was guarding him and holding sprewell to 3-16 (mebbe 3-18 I am not too sure) isnt great since they arent the best players on the other team. I cant think of another huge scorer guarding as well as Jordan does except for Kobe. (Iverson steals but cant guard, he is way too short.)
For what it's worth, I appreciated negative press on Jordan as little as positive press on Jordan. I was just sick of all the Jordan press. Jordan playing well only extends that. If everyone (media) weren't obsessed over it, I'd be happy for him.
I was responding to the statements that jordan had 'something to prove' in scoring 51, but that he didn't care about individual accolades. The statement wasn't that jordan proved his point by winning, but rather by scoring 51. That would be an individual accomplishment.
What exactly has he done for most people? He made a lot of money for the companies that he endorses, he won championships for the Bulls, and he helped build the league commercially. None of the people that he's done anything for are criticizing his comeback. The people criticizing his comeback are fans and media members. And I know for a fact that Jordan's never done anything for me.
Really, what the h*ll has Jordan done for me. NOTHING!!! Except cause a lot of anger because of his title of greatest of all-time. I just have one thing to say to all of you Jordan fans.....GET OFF HIS JOCK!
